Non-Circular Blender Tool Cage for Efficient Mixing and Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blender tool cages do not effectively balance food processing efficiency, reachability, ease of manufacturing, cleaning, and energy consumption, particularly in designs with non-circular cross-sections and protruding areas, where the effectiveness is unclear without specific performance indicators.
Innovation Solution
A tool cage with a hollow cylindrical shape and non-convex inner surfaces, featuring a dimensionless characteristic value (S) defined by the formula S = (R_tool^2 / (R_max^2 - R_min^2) * N, where R_tool is the tool radius, R_max and R_min are the maximum and minimum inner radii of the tool cage, and N is the number of protruding areas, ensuring a geometry that predicts effective blending performance within the range of 7 ≤ S ≤ 18.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the tool cage has a non-circular cross-section with protruding areas to improve food processing efficiency and reachability, then the blending performance is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cleaning difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tool cage employs a non-circular cross-sectional shape with strategic asymmetry. The profile includes flat sections alternating with curved sections, creating protruding areas that enhance food processing efficiency while maintaining manufacturability through standardized forming processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The tool cage design incorporates both curved and flat sections in its cross-profile. The curved sections provide smooth food flow paths, while the flat sections create protruding areas for enhanced blending performance. This combination of curvatures optimizes both functionality and manufacturing ease.
2Productivity
If the tool cage has a non-circular cross-section with protruding areas to improve blending performance, then the food processing effectiveness is improved, but the cleaning difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tool cage features a hybrid cross-sectional profile combining flat and curved sections. The curved sections are designed with continuous radii that prevent food entrapment, while the flat sections create the necessary protruding areas for effective blending. This design ensures easy cleaning while maintaining high blending performance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the tool cage has protruding areas to improve food reachability in corners, then the adaptability is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tool cage utilizes asymmetric protruding areas strategically positioned to reach into corners and hard-to-access regions of the blending container. This asymmetric design enhances adaptability and food reachability while the overall streamlined profile minimizes resistance and energy consumption during rotation.
Data Source
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AI summary
A device for use in a blender comprises a rotatably arranged tool (10) for moving through food to be processed by means of the blender, and a tool cage (20) for partially covering the tool (10). The tool cage (20) is shaped like a hollow cylinder having a longitudinal axis and an inner surface (24) with exclusively non-convex areas, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the tool cage (20) deviates from a circular shape and has at least one protruding area which is outside of an imaginary circle being centrally positioned about the longitudinal axis and touching the inner surface (24) while having a minimum radius. The inner surface (24) of the tool cage (20) may have a triangular shape or a square shape about the longitudinal axis. A dimensionless characteristic value and a range for the value are defined for predicting quality of performance of the device.